Q/A: Cheek lift and other options for patient in their 20s

Question: I am 23. I have droopy cheeks, extra skin/fat in the jowl/chin area, and visible lower eye whites. When I smile these issues are accentuated. Would a cheek lift address these issues and how do I find facial surgeons who have extensive experience on younger patients?

Dr. Marotta's Answer: I have a lot of experience with cheek lifts or midface lifts in younger people and my preferred technique is the endoscopic forehead/midface lift with buccal fat transposition. Midfacial aging does begin to occur in the mid to late 20s. But generally mid to late 30s is the minimum age I would consider for this procedure. Sounds like your issues may be somewhat congenital or skeletal since you have them at such a young age. Adding volume whether with microfat transfer, fillers, sculptra or cheek implants is probably the way to go at your age but difficult to tell without a thorough evaluation. Adding volume with one of these methods can give you the same look as having a lift with less trouble.